A filter element for filtering fuel in a motor vehicle is known from DE 10 2011 078 362 A1. The filter element has a particle filter medium and a final sepa-rating screen for separation of water. The separated water collects in a water collecting chamber.
Ventilation nozzles for a liquid filter are known from EP 1 356 199 B1.
US 2009/0301950 A1 discloses a filter element which can be fastened by means of a bayonet fitting on the cover of a filter housing.
EP 2 201 993 A1 also discloses fastening a replaceable filter element to a container of a filter housing by a bayonet fitting.
Finally, various possibilities for sealing a filter element to a channel of a filter housing are known from US 2011/0017657 A1.
As a result of considerably increased expectations with regard to the performance of internal combustion engines in motor vehicles, the requirements with regard to the purity and freedom from water of the fuel for use in the internal combustion engines increase dramatically. The fuel filters used for cleaning of the fuel in the motor vehicle must therefore have a plurality of cleaning stages, in particular a plurality of water separation stages, for cleaning of the fuel. However, due to the design the known multi-stage water separating filter elements are comparatively difficult to maintain. In particular the removal of a filter element to be replaced from a filter housing is complex, since the filter element to be replaced is generally completely recessed in the filter housing.